At the meeting, Vinh said defence cooperation between Vietnam and Japan has generated positive outcomes across many issues over the past, becoming a lynchpin of the bilateral strategic partnership.

The two defence ministries have engaged in many joint activities, both bilaterally and multilaterally, exchanging high-level delegations, with many meetings for young officers, while joining hands in US peace-keeping operations, he said.

For his part, Sonoura Kentaro said Japan will partner with Vietnam in the time ahead to manage post-war consequences in Vietnam such as bomb and mine clearance, and dioxin remediation.

The Japanese Government highly values Vietnam’s hosting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting in 2017, he said.